


11th December

by WritersKitten



Series: Hetalian Christmas Calendar [11]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Cuddle, Fear, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Lightening Storm, Romano, Veneziano
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-10
Updated: 2014-12-10
Packaged: 2018-02-28 23:40:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2751482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritersKitten/pseuds/WritersKitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Romano is afraid, but refuses to admit it.<br/>The truth is Romano is afraid of thunder and lightning, but he has never told anyone. Infuriatingly enough, his little brother has sensed it, and always insists on staying with him when the forecasts says there will be a lightning storm. This time, however, Italy is nowhere to be seen, and Romano is slightly nervous. However, when Italy comes home Romano becomes mad, because beside him stands bastard Spain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	11th December

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Anniss here on AO3 for writing the promt.
> 
> Hetalia (c) Himaruya Hidekaz

Romano was standing in the kitchen, staring out through the dark window of sixth floor as rain hurled against it from the black sky.

Far away a soft rumble sounded, making the nation bite his lip. Veneziano had promised to stay with him this night, because the forecast had said it would be a lightning storm. Romano was never going to admit it, but having Veneziano there made him feel safer.

He glanced at the digital clock at the cooker. Red numbers shone through the dark room. 22:24. Exactly fourteen minutes since veneziano had promised to be there. As he watched, it became 22:25.

The sound of the doorbell made him jump, before he hurried to the door and unlocked it. A wave of relief washed through him as he found Venezianon standing there, arms full of groceries he was going to make into delicious food. The relief, however, was short-lived, because standing behind Veneziano and holding an equal amount of groceries, was Spain.

“Roma!” Veneziano said with his characteristic smile. He walked past Romano into the small hall of the flat and dropped the groceries, before giving the elder a hug. “Sorry I’m late, but there was a queue in the shop, and I had so many bags to carry!”

Romano felt like he was about to explode of anger. “Why did you bring that bastard here?” he exclaimed.

Veneziano smiled and let go of him in favour of picking up the groceries. “Ve, he offered to help me carry the bags, so I figured I could invite him to stay with us!” He carried the groceries into the kitchen. “Why have you already turned off all electronics? The storm won’t be here in yet another fifteen minutes!”

Romano stared helpless after his younger brother. He would not allow Spain to be there this time! He _could_ not allow Spain to be there!

Not waiting for him to say anything, Spain brushed past him and into the kitchen where he began talking food with Veneziano. Slowly Romano got around to close the entrance door, while taking deep breaths to calm himself.

Thunder some kilometres away made his heartbeat quicken and he leant his forehead against the door for a second.

When he returned to the kitchen, Veneziano had pulled forth a primus and was making pasta with tomato sauce. Spain was cutting tomatoes that they could add to the sauce, and had a large chunk of cheese standing beside him, ready to be added to the dish once it was done.

Romano sat together with them, as far from Spain as physically possible, and leant his head and arms on the table while watching the yellow flame of the primus.

Another thunder, closer this time. He bit his lip.

Minutes passed in unnatural silence, unbroken by not even thunder.

“It’s ready”, Veneziano announced. “Shall we eat in the living room?”

Romano and Spain agreed, and the three of them carried plates, glass, cutlery and food into the living room – or more like two of them did it. Veneziano made sure Romano was not carrying anything that could make a mess, for which Romano was both frustrated and thankful.

As they seated themselves – Veneziano in a large armchair, Romano on the sofa and Spain beside Romano (to which Romano did not agree) – another thunder was heard.

“It’s approaching”, Spain remarked.

Romano counted the seconds, staring out the window. The rain was heavier.

A blink of light in the darkness made his heart leap into his throat and he swallowed nervously.

“Let’s not think about the storm, ve?” Veneziano smiled at them, before filling their plates with one of Romano’s favourite dishes.

-

Italy watched Romano out of the corner of his eye. The elder ate in silence, but Italy noticed a nearly invisible tremor in his hand, and the way his eyes constantly darted to the window, or how his lips moved soundlessly whenever a thunder was heard, until the lightening was visible through the window.

The moment Romano put down his plate, Italy smiled brightly at him. “Ve, how about you go to bed, then I’ll do the dishes and prepare beds for myself and Spain?”

Surprisingly enough, Romano didn’t complain and made a beeline for his bedroom.

“How did you do that?” Spain asked when the door closed behind Romano. “I’ve tried to have him follow my commands for centuries!”

Italy laughed. “Just something that comes of knowing his weaker sides.” He got up and did the cleaning, alongside Spain. The drumming of the rain made him wonder if Romano was asleep. Thunder just above his head made him listen closely. He was not surprised to hear a pair of steps slowly approaching the kitchen, but being very careful to keep out of the light.

He glanced towards the entrance hall. To anyone else it would have seemed like there was no one there, but to Italy’s trained artistic eye, it was easy to spot the barely visible shoulder of Romano.

“I’ll go prepare the beds”, he told Spain. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Quickly he dried his hands and hurried to the entrance hall. Romano was not standing there anymore, but the door to his room was ajar. He pushed it open carefully. The curtains were covering the windows, and darkness filled the room. He could barely make out the shape of Romano’s bed close to the window, and Romano who had curled up and pulled the covers over his head.

Italy smiled a little and crossed the room. Gently he placed his hand on the bump that was Romano’s head. Romano shifted and lifted the covers so to peek out.

“ _Tutto bene?_ ” Italy asked carefully.

Romano stared at him, eyes wide, for a moment, then shook his head a little. Thunder and lightning made him hide under the covers again.

Italy made space for himself so he could sit at the bed with his back against the headboard. The moment he sat down, Romano jumped at him, wrapping his arms around Italy’s waist and burying his face his shoulder.

Italy smiled and embraced the elder with easy, pulling the covers up to his shoulders and gently stroking his hair, very careful with avoiding the curl. “ _Staró con te_ ”, he whispered.

-

When Spain finished the dishes, he leant against the working bench and waited for Italy to return. A minute passed, then another. Five minutes. Ten minutes. Everything was silent, only broken by the rumbles of the thunder as it rolled overhead.

Eventually, he got tired of waiting and headed to the entrance hall. One of the doors was open, and through it he spotted a dark room.

“Italy?” he called.

“Shhh”, came the soft answer from the darkness.

Spain approached carefully through the open door. Italy was sitting at the bed with Romano’s arms wrapped around him. He had to admit they were cute.

“He just fell asleep”, Italy whispered, running a hand through Romano’s hair.

Thunder rumbled a way off, but it was still enough to make Romano frown and make a small sound of discomfort.

The way the siblings had been acted the whole evening suddenly was not as confusing at it had been at first. Romano was scared of thunder and lightning storms. 

**Author's Note:**

> Tutto bene - Italian, "are you okay".  
> Staró con te - Italian, "I'll stay with you".


End file.
